Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-04
POWDERLY'S SPEECH.
The Opening Address by the Grand Mas
ter Workman.

ter Workman.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, October 8
Master Workman T. V. Powderly, General
Secretary c. II. Litchman and most of the
other delayed delegates to the Knights of
Labor Assembly arrived this afternoon.
The great hall, capable of seating $1,000
people, was crowded at the opening of the
evening exercises. On the platform were
the prominent leaders of the organization.
J. p. Mcclure, secretary Of the co-opera-
tive board, and a prominent citizen OF
Minneapolis, presided and made a brief
opening address. General Master Work
man Powderly's address on "The world
as knighthOOd would make it, was re-
ceived with unbounded enthusiasm. 1t
was as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, you have just told this
immense audience would tell what the
world would be il knighthood had the
making of it. Twill tell You nothing of
the kind. cannot.
"Thy will be done, Thy kingdom come, F"
these are the words spoken by all denOm-
nations in prayer. Do you mean what
you say in these words? Men say the
knights can never attain what is aimed at
in their declaration OF principles then
they 60 to church and
PRAY FOR BETTER THINGS
than the Knigats ever dreamed.
Knighthood would not pave the streets
with gold. The men who pray that this
earth be made az the kingdom of heaven,
would deny us place in legislative halls
Those places are not the kingdom OF heay-
en-. When they make those prayers they
are hypocrites. How many milliOnares arc
there in this room? Laughter Not
one. Well how many men and women Of
moderate means? ! would not ask you 10
stand up, for that would get you all OH
feet.
1--WE intend to educate our peo-
pie 80 that they will be
able to get there. They should lie
educated so they will he able and fit TO
take high positions in life. Our Organiza-
tiOn is not partisan organization, but in
the true sense of the word is political
organization. The man who studies with
us will be able to vote intelligently. Moth
ing is still but corpse. We have kick
ers." When one bad man kicks there are
a thousand good men and women to resent
that kick. say all hail to the kickers.
have been taken TO task on few things.
/ want to say few things on immig alton.
1T has been charged that / did not favor
immigration, il is a mistake am Of foreign
birth myself. was not born early enough 10
keep my father from coming TO this coun-
try. ] would not have done 30 if / could.
] have no objection TO foreign immigration,
favor immigration. ~ one Of these poor
creatures raises his hand, not against law
for he knows nOne-but against what he
sees Just before him, he is called an
Anarchist, and is Stunned, while tie men
who loaded these poor creatures on this
country 90 scot free. / hate Anarchy, and
| hate Anarchists. How can the child
reared in poverty, squalor, ignorance and
vice grow up TO respect the institutions Of
this country. When | say stop the agent
OF the steamship company, take home thu
agent Of the land company, stop
IMPORTING FOREIGN PAUPERs,
let only those come to our free America
who come with their own free will TO make
their homes here. Is that saying agains,
a foreigner? I thought you'd say 50. Thi'
is why | am called a crank on the immi.
grafton question. l may be crank on the
temperance question too, but am not
ashamed to say / would rather see . man 8
sober man than drunkard.
Coming to this city picked up thi.
mornings paper in which found n line
Tom Armstrong. the editor Of th'
National Labor Tribune is dead" saw
the stalwart man and all bis great worl
before me. saw him saying to corporate
wealth, "thus far and no farther" AND
now, Tom Armstrong il dead. Let u
hope the mantel that has dropped from hi
shoulders will tall upon Others as
sTALwAET FOR ALL GOOD CAUsEs-
Now my friends have done. II woult
be a pleasure TO speak at greater length
on our principles, to tell You more in detai
Of knighthood, but / only hope that ever,
knight will leave this house tonight de
termined to do his whole duty. woul'
have you educate yourselves for the dutie
of this world. Let them do this and whel
their work is over they can lie down, q
did that dead workman Of whom hay
lust spoken, conscious that their work ha
been done, and well done"